It has been seven years since Latrobe coach Nik Hizartzidis last laced up his boots but that didn't stop him from taking to the field in the Demons' 109 point win over Circular Head. The Demons - who hadn't won a game since round six - were quick out of the blocks in the round 12 clash, booting nine goals in the first term and holding the Saints scoreless at quarter time. It took the Saints until halfway through the second quarter to get their first major of the game through Ashton Bransden. However, it wasn't enough with the Demons ultimately running out with the 19.21 (135) to 4.2 (26) victory. Hizartzidis - who booted one goal in his first game since 2014 - hoped his return - and the win - had boosted confidence levels among the group. "I just really enjoyed being out there with the boys and being able to talk to them out there," Hizartzidis said. "Because there is so much that you want to say to them when you're coaching from the sidelines and it's a lot different out there because you can have an impact right away. "When the boys are up and about, it's nice to be out there with them. Hopefully from helping them structure up as a forward line going forward, I don't have to play and they're ok doing it without me there." Contributors weren't lacking in front of goals for the Demons, with Alex Diprose booting 10 majors to become the club's highest scorer in a game since the Matthew Sheehan in the 2015 preliminary final. It was an effort Hizartzidis was impressed by, with the small forward boasting four goals against Burnie a week earlier. "Alex is starting to become a bit more consistent and that's what he needs to do, and that's what I said to him after the game," he said. "We need him to do that against the good sides, have the scoreboard impact." While it was a tough road trip for the Saints - who were without eight senior players - coach Cameron Lockett wasn't too concerned by the result. "We had to forget about the scoreboard after quarter time because our first quarter was really bad," Lockett said. "For me, it isn't (a worry) because I understand that we can slip quarters like that because of our age group. "But the last quarter showed a bit of ticker and our KPIs evened up." Josh Gale was the Saints' best in front of goals with two majors, while Matt Elliot added the extra for the sides four. ALSO IN SPORT: The Saints will remain on the road in round 13, with a tough match against Wynyard awaiting. While for Latrobe a week off awaits before an important game against Penguin on the road. With the win the first in the Demons' plan to play finals, Hizartzidis didn't underestimate the importance of momentum moving forward. "To give us the best chance (of winning against Penguin) we had to win - a fortnight is a long time coming if we'd come off another loss," he said. "We need to work hard over the next fortnight, be happy that we've got a win and know that our best footy is good enough. "I think the difference in those games where we were lapsing was our depth in the midfield through the four quarters. "It was good to be able to get some different guys run through our midfield (on Saturday)." Latrobe: 9.5; 12.8; 16.17; 19.21 (135) Circular Head: 0.0; 2.2; 3.2; 4.2 (26) Latrobe goals: Alex Diprose 10, Ethan Carter 3, Brayden Scott 2, Nik Hizartzidis 1, Duncan Grey 1, Tom Plumbridge 1, Blake Weeks 1 Circular Head goals: Josh Gale 2, Ashton Bransden 1, Matt Elliott 1 Latrobe best: Brayden Scott, Duncan Grey, Alex Diprose, Jayden Last, Laiden Bloomfield, Thomas Donald Circular Head best: Cohan Abbott, Ryland Coombe, Matt Elliott, Aaron Tuxworth, Josh Gale, Tyson Armstrong
